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Post by pgfromwp on Jan 6, 2014 13:29:55 GMT -5
A #2 hit from a year preceding the start of the AT40 series, which represented a mainstream fad of sorts, is "Hair" by the Cowsills.
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Post by woolebull on Jan 6, 2014 14:47:34 GMT -5
"Russians" by Sting was released in 1986 when the relations between America and Russia were strained. Only Sting could use the words conditioned, rhetorical, subscribe, Oppenheimer, Krushchev, Reagan, monopoly, ideology, precedent and president in a song and score a #16 hit. I was going to include the word hysteria in that list but Def Leppard got a Top 10 hit and a #1 album using that word... You're exactly right about that. And only Sting could name drop Scylla and Charibdes and then talk smack like, "Mephistopheles is not your name, But I know what you're up to just the same" and hit the Top 10. In fact, "Wrapped Around Your Finger" might win the award for, "Furthest Moment in Time" (other contenders include The Byrds with "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and Was (Not Was) with "Walk The Dinosaur")
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Post by jlthorpe on Jan 7, 2014 18:57:10 GMT -5
"Topical" would be another good word to describe these songs.
Speaking of the Gulf War, there's also "Voices that Care" (as well as the "Give Peace a Chance" cover that didn't hit the Top 40).
Other examples:
"Moonflight" by Vik Venus (hit the Top 40 in 1969 around the time of the historic moon landing) "We Love You Beatles" by The Carefrees (hit in 1964 at the beginning of Beatlemania)
And listening to a little of Opie and Anthony today reminded me of this song:
"Pop Goes the Weasel" by 3rd Bass (diss track about Vanilla Ice that hit in 1991)
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Post by woolebull on Jan 7, 2014 23:05:47 GMT -5
"Topical" would be another good word to describe these songs. Speaking of the Gulf War, there's also "Voices that Care" (as well as the "Give Peace a Chance" cover that didn't hit the Top 40). Other examples: "Moonflight" by Vik Venus (hit the Top 40 in 1969 around the time of the historic moon landing) "We Love You Beatles" by The Carefrees (hit in 1964 at the beginning of Beatlemania) And listening to a little of Opie and Anthony today reminded me of this song: "Pop Goes the Weasel" by 3rd Bass (diss track about Vanilla Ice that hit in 1991) If you give credit to "Pop" then I would include "Mama Said Knock You Out" which was a call out by LL Cool J to Kool Moe Dee, for like the 543rd time. At the end of 1999, "Will 2 K" by Will Smith was in the Top 20.
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Post by bigal on Jan 8, 2014 4:11:13 GMT -5
BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME by Freda Payne, WAR and STOP THE WAR by Edwin Starr, BALLAD OF LT CALLEY by C Company, THE AMERICANS by Gordon sinclair ansd Byron McGregor, THE DESIDERA by Les Crane.
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Post by Hervard on Jan 8, 2014 8:36:43 GMT -5
It may be due to the various remixes and individual station edits, but Styx' "Show Me the Way" from 1991 also takes me back to the Gulf War era. That song, as well as "Get Here" by Oleta Adams, were said to have received airplay boosts because of the Gulf War.
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Post by jlthorpe on Jan 8, 2014 21:41:15 GMT -5
I thought that "From a Distance" was another song that got airplay due to the Gulf War.
Along the same lines, I think 9/11 helped songs like "Only Time", "Superman (It's Not Easy)" and "Hero" (the Enrique Iglesias song). It also inspired the hits "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue", "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)", and "Have You Forgotten?".
For diss tracks, there's also "Dre Day" (diss track about Eazy-E and Tim Dog).
For tributes to dead celebrities, there's also "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", "Nightshift", "Missing You", "Tha Crossroads", and "I'll Be Missing You".
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Post by woolebull on Jan 9, 2014 0:04:26 GMT -5
For diss tracks, there's also "Dre Day" (diss track about Eazy-E and Tim Dog). Just to see Tim Dog's name on here made my night! Add Luther Campbell to the gentlemen dissed on "Dre Day".
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Post by jlthorpe on Jan 9, 2014 7:12:07 GMT -5
For diss tracks, there's also "Dre Day" (diss track about Eazy-E and Tim Dog). Just to see Tim Dog's name on here made my night! Add Luther Campbell to the gentlemen dissed on "Dre Day". I'm really not familiar with Tim Dog; I just knew he was mentioned on the song. And thanks for adding Luther Campbell; I forgot he was also mentioned.
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Post by beegee3 on Jan 11, 2014 0:52:52 GMT -5
Those are all good ones! Thanks for the songs.
And one near Top 40 hit: The Super Bowl Shuffle.
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Post by retrodaddy on Jul 8, 2018 15:46:53 GMT -5
19 by Paul Hardcastle, which is in this week's '85 countdown. Inspired by and including audio from a documentary on tbe lingering PTSD affecting Vietnam vets in the '80s.
Money's Too Tight To Mention by Simply Red. They're not subtle at all in their criticism of Ronald Reagan.
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Post by johnnywest on Feb 15, 2024 17:22:03 GMT -5
In 2020, the girl group Avenue Beat hit #29 on AT40 with "F 2020." Clean version.
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